Kathua case reflects eroding morals: CM

Tribune News Service

Kakryal (Reasi), April 18

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday expressed her anguish over the Kathua rape and murder case, saying that how could a minor be treated so cruelly in a land where girls were worshipped as a form Goddess Durga.

Addressing the 6th convocation at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University here, the Chief Minister said the heinous act of the perpetrators “has shocked us as a society” and showed that the value system was facing a crisis.

“In this part of the state there is a ritual of ‘kanya pujan’ where minor girls are worshipped as a form of Goddess Durga. How could anybody commit such a heinous act against one such living form of ‘Mata’ in her own land? There is something wrong with society,” Mehbooba said while observing that incidents like the eight-year-old’s rape-murder in Kathua were an indication of the eroding moral values of society.

The Chief Minister said stress should be laid on developing a value system free of aberrations and excesses against the weak. “When we talk of our value system, I feel it is in real crisis. The recent happenings against the weaker and underprivileged sections, especially females, are alarming and have shaken us as a society,” she said.

“Our material growth becomes meaningless if we are not able to become good human beings with compassion, humility and a set of values which can distinguish us as civilised humans. While the endeavor to create a knowledge-based society must be there, we must also make value education an integral part of all our learning efforts,” she asserted.

The Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir had traditionally been a fountain of knowledge and spirituality. “Spirituality has always been a key aspect of our love for knowledge from Sharda Peeth (PoK temple) to Shahdara Sharief (shrine in Rajouri) since ancient times. We have been committed to a spiritual and knowledge-based society,” she said.

Welcoming President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion, Mehbooba Mufti said his life, work and struggle represented an ideal combination of scholarship, talent and wisdom. “His struggle, against all odds, proves that our country offers the very best opportunities to succeed, even to the most deprived sections of society,” she added.

She asked the universities to act as nurseries of good citizens and not exist as mere examining bodies that are distributing degrees. “Universities have to work on a two-pronged strategy of diffusing scientific, technical and professional knowledge on the one hand and inculcating value system in youth as an integral part of education on the other.” She urged the students to innovate and do things differently in order to bring a change for the better.

Complimenting the university administration for its academic excellence, the Chief Minister said Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University had established itself as a centre of excellence in a short period of time and was playing a key role in the transformation of the state into a “knowledge economy” and “knowledge society”. She promised her wholehearted support to the university in its mission to pursue education, scholarship and research.

Congratulating the graduating students on the occasion, Mehbooba said she visualised the university as part of a rich legacy and composite heritage, ushering the state and society into a new world of peace and prosperity.

Governor briefs President on state affairs 

Jammu: Governor NN Vohra briefed President Ram Nath Kovind, who arrived in Jammu today, regarding important issues related to the state. Among other matters, the President was apprised of the external security situation, emerging internal security environment, status of various socio-economic development schemes and programmes., issues related to the administrative apparatus, growing incidence of corruption, impact of social media and increase in radicalisation and the challenges facing the school education and health sectors.  The Governor also informed the President about issues related to higher education and functioning of the universities in the state. tns